The Forgotten Princess...

How do you fix something if you don't know what is broken? Alicia's POV My name Is Alicia Rosalyn von Heist. I am the third child and the youngest daughter of the current king of Alvannia, Edward Von Heist. I have two older sisters and one younger brother. I am the only illegitimate child. Me being an illegitimate child is not just a literal statement because I felt this all around me the awareness settles deep in my chest. My mother was a maid in the palace. My father, the king was infatuated with her beauty. She did not only have a curvy body but she had a platinum blonde hair and very striking silver eyes that seemed too bright to be real. I had the same as hers. All of her features I have inherited. My mother was kicked out from the palace by the queen after knowing my father's relationship with her. After a few month she knew she was pregnant with me. She brought me up herself taking care of me without anyone else's support. Our life outside the palace was simple and poor, so much different from the luxury the royal family enjoyed but despite that, we were happy. But one day everything changed when my mother got sick. I was five years old then, still a young child. My mother was bedridden and her life was draining away in front of my eyes. That was when he arrived, my father the king. My mother begged my father to take me in as his child because she was dying of sickness. I still remember her words. ** “Your majesty, Alicia is also your daughter.” My mother said with tears on her face. She was breathing heavily as if oxygen was barely going into her lungs. “I don't have much time in this word. Please take care of her, I beg of you.” “Mother no... please don't leave me.” I cried so much at her beside. ** Because this was my mother's last wish my father obliged even though it was not initially his will to take me in. I saw my mother's last breath and my world shattered into pieces after. i can still remember that day clearly my father took me into the palace as his ’adopted’ daughter. it was my first time ever being in the palace. Arriving in the palace I learned that I had two older sisters. Veronica, who is two years older and Elizabeth, who is a year older than me. I also have a younger brother Richard, who is two years younger than me. My life in this palace wasn't easy. My two elder sisters love to bully me, my stepmother the queen does everything to make my life hard. Also my father the king is indifferent toward me. The only ones that are good to me were my younger brother Richard, who is always by my side playing with me and general Robert, my step-siblings grandfather and the father of my stepmother the queen. Nine years have passed by and living in this palace as a third princess was not easy. The people of the kingdom of Alvannia does not know much about me and some have not even seen me before. They have only heard about me being the third princess. I wasn't able to attend parties and ball with my siblings. I was the forgotten princess of Alvannia. But that changed when my 14th birthday arrived. It was a custom that a daughter from the royal family needs to be presented to the public, hence a grand ball is held in the palace. All the high class families of the kingdom of Alvannia are invited for the reason, to search for suitable suitors for the royal daughter. Even royalty from the neighboring countries are invited to attend. General Robert has fought with my father and my stepmother to give me the royal custom given to the daughters of the royal family, he said that it was my birth right and that no one had the right to take it away from me. Even though grandpa Robert is not my flesh and blood he has loved and protected me as if I were truly his own granddaughter. After some nagging and fights, my father agreed at last. And the day of the grand ball has arrived. I was dressed in a beautiful royal blue gown that accented my platinum blonde hair and slivered eyes. This was the first time I had ever worn a beautiful dress. Looking at myself in the mirror, the person standing in front of the mirror was so much different from my usual self. The usual me wore the hand-me-downs of my sisters. They gave me dresses that are out of date and were faded which made me look wretched compare to my sisters. I don't wear makeup and my hair is always tied up in a ponytail. I could never outshine my sisters in beauty and I understood that clearly. I had to always look ordinary compared to them. But now as I stared at my reflection I looked so beautiful in a way that feels almost unreal. My hair was carefully styled and decorated in beautiful ornaments that sparkled under the light. My face Is covered in a light, elegant make up far more refined that anything I had ever worn before. I also had silver jewel with blue diamonds resting on me. It was as though I am looking at a stranger and not myself. 'Knock Knock’ there was a light knock on the door. The door creaked open and a maid entered and bowed in front of me. “Your highness, all the guest have arrived. His majesty the king has called for you.” The maid said. “I understand. I will be there shortly.” I said to her. I look at the young lady in the mirror once again and take a deep breath. I tried to calm the strange feeling aching in the chest. My eyes settled back on my reflection still trying to accept the fact that the beautiful girl staring back at me is truly myself. I lifted my skirt and existed the door.